Desk attachment for bed



Aug. 6, 1963 R. R. MACKLIN DESK ATTACHMENT FOR BED Filed Jan. 25, 1962 I NVENTOR.

2/714 2. MACK; l/V

' A rromvzrs United States Patent 3,899,965 DEEK ATTACKS/ENE FUR BED Rita R. Macklin, 3312 Parker Ave., Royal (ink, hiich. Filed Jan. 25, 19-52, er. No. 153, 534 7 Claims. {ill- 1fl3-49) This invention relates generally to a desk attachment for a bed, and refers more particularly to a collapsible desk capable of being moved from an operative upright position beside a bed to a collapsed inoperative position beneath the bed.

One of the essential objects of the invention is to provide a desk attachment having a substantially rectangular supporting frame adapted to be suspended by the sideboards of the bed in a horizontal position extending transversely beneath the bed.

Another object is to provide a desk attachment wherein the rectangular frame is supported in the horizontal position mentioned by means of a suitable hangers suspended from opposite sideboards of the bed.

Another object is to provide a desk attachment wherein the hangers are provided with two vertically extending substantially parallel rows of spaced openings selectively engaged by screws or the like to secure such hangers in an upright position at the proper height to the rectangular supporting frame.

Another object is to provide an attachment having an upright desk provided with two sets of pivotally connected supporting legs, and a desk top pivotally connected adjacent one edge thereof to one set of the supporting legs and having on the underside thereof adjacent the opposite free edge two parallel rows of sockets for the selective reception of the other set of the supporting legs.

Another object is to provide an attachment wherein one set of the pivotally connected supporting legs of the desk is pivotally connected to slides sleeved upon and movable lengthwise of opposite side rails of the supporting frame.

Another object is to provide a desk attachment wherein a crossbar on the other set of the supporting legs of the desk may be employed to support the feet of a person seated upon one side of the bed when the desk is being used.

Another object is to provide a desk attachment wherein the upright desk is adapted to be collapsed, then the collapsed desk is adapted to be moved on said slides beneath one of the transversely extending rails of the supporting frame to a position beneath the bed, and then is moved back slightly to enable the free ends of the other set of legs previously mentioned to be positioned upon and supported by the one transversely extending rail aforesaid.

Another object is to provide a desk attachment wherein the collapsed desk is movable beneath the transversely extending rail just mentioned of the rectangular supporting frame from a collapsed position to an upright operative position beside the bed.

Another object is to provide a desk attachment that is simple in construction, economical to manufacture, and efiicient in operation.

Other objects, advantages and novel details of construction of this invention will be made more apparent as this description proceeds, especially when considered in connection with the accompanying drawing wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a top plan view of my desk attachment when in an inoperative fully collapsed position beneath a bed, with portions of the desk top broken away to expose portions of the attachment.

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of my desk attachment when the desk thereof is in upright position beside a bed, and showing the supporting frame carried by the sideboards of the bed and connected to two of the legs "ice of the desk by slides movable lengthwise of said supporting frame.

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 33 of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged fragmentary cross-sectional view, showing one of the connections between my desk attachment and a bed.

FIGURE 5 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 5-5 of FIGURE 4.

Referring now to the drawing, 14 is a substantially rectangular supporting frame adapted to be supported in a horizontal position extending transversely beneath the bed. As shown, this frame 10 comprises a pair of longitudinally extending rails 11 and a pair of transversely extending rails 12 and 12a. The longitudinal rails 11 are formed from metal tubes and are provided at their opposite ends with flattened open return-bent portions 13. The transversely extending rails 12 and 124: are also formed from metal tubes and have flattened ends 14- secured by headed elements 15 to the underside of the upper arms 16 of the flattened open return-bent portions 13.

Hangers 17 are employed at opposite ends of the supporting frame to support it in the desired horizontal position extending transversely beneath the bed. As shown, the hangers 17 have upright strap portions 18 provided with two vertically extend-ing substantially parallel rows of spaced openings 19 selectively engaged by screws 20 to secure said strap portions in an upright position at the proper height to the upright parts 21 of the open returnbent flattened portions 13. The hangers 17 have fixed open return-bent upper ends 22 engageable with the upper edges of the sideboards 23 of the bed to hold the rectangular supporting frame 10 in proper horizontal supported position extending transversely beneath the bed.

The upright desk 30 is collapsible and has two sets 31 and 3-2 respectively of pivotally connected supporting legs, and a desk top 33 pivotally connected adjacent one edge thereof to one set 31 of the supporting legs and having on the underside theerof adjacent the opposite free edge 33 thereof two parallel rows of sockets 34 for the selective reception of the other set 32 of the pivotally connected supporting legs.

The connections between one set 3 1 of the pivotally connected supporting legs of the collapsible desk and the side rails 11 of the supporting frame 10 beneath the bed are in the form of slides 35 that are pivotally connected at 36 to said one set 31 of supporting legs adjacent their lower ends and are sleeved upon and slidable lengthwise of the side rails 11 of the supporting frame.

The desk top 33 and both sets 31 and 32 of pivotally connected legs are adapted to be collapsed and are adapted to be supported upon the transversely extending rail 12 of the rectangular supporting frame beneath the bed.

When it is desired to collapse the desk top 33 and both sets 31 and 32 of legs, the upper ends of the legs 32 are first removed from the sockets 34 receiving them by raising the free edge 33 of the desk top. Then both sets of legs 31 and 3-2 are permitted to swing in opposite directions about their pivots 37 until they assume a substantially horizontal position, whereupon the desk top 33 is swung about its pivots 38 to a horizontal position upon the set 32 of legs. The collapsed desk assembly is then moved on said slides 35 lengthwise of the supporting frame 10 beneath the adjacent transversely extending rail 12 thereof to a position beneath the bed, and then is moved back a slight distance to enable the free ends of the legs 32 to be positioned upon and supported by the adjacent transversely extending rail 12.

When the desk 34 is collapsed and is supported upon the transversely extending rail 12 of the rectangular frame 10 beneath the bed, as shown in FIGURE 1, the slides 35 and the set 31 of legs connected thereto are adjacent the transversely extending rail 12a of the frame; the other set 32 of legs extend in an opposite direction from the set 31 of legs and rest upon the transversely extending rail 12 of the'frame; and the desk top 33 rests flat upon the set 32 of legs.

When it is'desired to erect the desk at one side of the bed, the collapsed desk assembly is first moved on the slides 35 a slight distance lengthwise of the supporting frame to remove the legs 32 of the desk from the transversely extending rail v12 of the frame. Then the collapsed desk assembly is moved on the slides 35 under the transversely extending rail 12 of the frame until the offsets 39 in the slides 35 are adjacent to the upright parts 21 of the open return-bent flattened portions 13 of the frame. The desk is then erected by moving the desk top 33 and the set 31 of legs connected thereto upwardly, during which movement the other set 32 of legs swing clockwise until the upper ends thereof are adjacent to the sockets 34 in the underside of the desk top 33. The upper ends of the set 32 of legs are then engaged with the proper sockets 34 in the underside of the desk top 33 to support the latter in an operative horizontal position. The crossbar 40 on the set 32 of supporting legs of the desk may then be employed to support the feet of a person seated upon one side of the bed when the desk is being used.

Thus from the foregoing, it will be apparent that the substantially rectangular frame 10 is supported in a horizontal position extending transversely beneath the bed, and the desk 30 is capable of being moved from an upright operative position at one side of the bed to a collapsed position substantially parallel to the supporting frame 10 beneath the bed, and vice versa. The sole con nections between the collapsible desk and the horizontal supporting frame :10 are the slides 35 that are movable lengthwise of the longitudinally extending rails 11 of the supporting frame 10.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. A desk attachment for a bed comprising a horizontal supporting frame having a pair of spaced rails extending transversely beneath opposite sideboards of the bed and provided at their opposite ends with flattened open returnbent portions, a pair of connecting rails extending between and secured. to the upper portions of the flattened open return-bent portions of said transversely extending rails, means secured tosaid flattened open return-bent portions for suspending said supporting frame from opposite sideboards of said bed, a collapsible desk at one side of said bed provided with two sets of pivotally connected supporting legs, and a connection between said collapsible desk and said supporting frame including slides pivotally connected to one set of. said pivotally connected legs and slidably connected to said transversely extending rails, the desk when collapsed being movable on said slides below one of said connecting rails to a position beneath the bed and then being movable back slightly to enable-the free ends of the other set of legs to be positioned upon and supported by the one connecting rail aforesaid.

2. A desk attachment for a bed comprising a horizontal supporting frame having a pair of spaced rails extending transversely beneath opposite sideboards of the bed and provided at their opposite ends with open return-bent portions, a pair of connecting rails extending between and 4 secured to the upper portions of the open return-bent portions of said transversely extending rails, means secured to the open return-bent portions of said transversely extending rails for suspending said supporting frame from opposite sideboards of said bed, a collapsible desk at one side of said bed provided with two sets of pivotally connected supporting legs, and a connection between said collapsible desk and said supporting frame including slides pivotally connected to one set of. said pivotally connected legs and slidably connected to said transversely extending rails, the desk when collapsed being movable on said slides below one of said connecting rails to aposition beneath the bed and then being movable back slightly to enable the free ends of the other set of legs to be positioned upon and supported by the one connecting rail aforesaid.

3. The desk attachment defined in claim 2, wherein the suspending means includes hangers having upright strap portions secured to said open return-bent portions, and wherein said upright strap portions have open return-bent upper ends engageable with the upper edges of the sideboards of said bed.

4. The desk attachment defined in claim 2, wherein the suspending means includes hangers having upright strap portions secured to said open return-bent portions, and

wherein said strap portions are provided at their upper ends with means adapted to be supported from the side- I boards of said bed.

5. The desk attachment defined in claim 2, wherein the suspending means includes hangers having upright strap portions vertically adjustably connected to said open return-bent portions, and wherein said strap portions are provided at their upper ends with means adapted to be supported from the side boards of said bed.

6. The desk attachment defined in claim 2, wherein the suspending means includes hangers having upright strap portions, each being provided with. a vertically extending row of spaced openings, wherein fastening elements en-. gage selected openings in said strap portions and engage openings in the open return-bent portions of said rails to secure said strap portions at a predetermined height relative to said rails, and wherein said strap portions are pro vided at their upper ends with means adapted to be supported from the sideboards of said bed.

7. The desk attachment defined in claim 2, wherein the collapsible desk includes a top pivotally connected adjacent one edge to one set of said pivotally connected supporting legs, and wherein said top is provided on the under side thereof adjacent its opposite free edge with parallel rows of sockets adapted to be selectively engaged by theother set of said pivotally connected legs.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,043,638 Sneed Nov. 5, 1912 1,862,237 Pepler June 7, 1932 1,930,882 McRae Oct. 17, 1933 2,193,647 Rush et a1. Mar. 12, 1940 2,560,679 Zalkind July 17, 1951 2,692,806 Grace Oct. 26, 1954 FOREIGN PATENTS 798,784 France May 26, 1936 1,041,325 France Oct. 22, 1953 

1. A DESK ATTACHMENT FOR A BED COMPRISING A HORIZONTAL SUPPORTING FRAME HAVING A PAIR OF SPACED RAILS EXTENDING TRANSVERSELY BENEATH OPPOSITE SIDEBOARDS OF THE BED AND PROVIDED AT THEIR OPPOSITE ENDS WITH FLATTENED OPEN RETURNBENT PORTIONS, A PAIR OF CONNECTING RAILS EXTENDING BETWEEN AND SECURED TO THE UPPER PORTIONS OF THE FLATTENED OPEN RETURN-BENT PORTIONS OF SAID TRANSVERSELY EXTENDING RAILS, MEANS SECURED TO SAID FLATTENED OPEN RETURN-BENT PORTIONS FOR SUSPENDING SAID SUPPORTING FRAME FROM OPPOSITE SIDEBOARDS OF SAID BED, A COLLAPSIBLE DESK AT ONE SIDE OF SAID BED PROVIDED WITH TWO SETS OF PIVOTALLY CONNECTED SUPPORTING LEGS, AND A CONNECTION BETWEEN SAID COLLAPSIBLE DESK AND SAID SUPPORTING FRAME INCLUDING SLIDES PIVOTALLY CONNECTED TO ONE SET OF SAID PIVOTALLY CONNECTED LEGS AND SLIDABLY CONNECTED TO SAID TRANSVERSELY EXTENDING RAILS, THE DESK WHEN COLLAPSED BEING MOVABLE ON SAID SLIDES BELOW ONE OF SAID CONNECTING RAILS TO A POSITION BENEATH THE BED AND THEN BEING MOVABLE BACK SLIGHTLY TO ENABLE THE FREE ENDS OF THE OTHER SET OF LEGS TO BE POSITIONED UPON AND SUPPORTED BY THE ONE CONNECTING RAIL AFORESAID. 